Hill Grabs Pole For Race One at Brands Hatch

Tommy Hill will start this afternoon's opening British Superbike race from pole position after smashing the lap record on the Brands Hatch GP circuit. The Swan Yamaha rider enters this weekend as the man in form, winning three of the last four races, and is well placed to continue that streak later today.

Hill's record lap secured pole position although John Hopkins came close to pipping him, finishing 0.047s behind in second. Michael Laverty was the fastest man in Q1 but couldn't match teammate Hill when it mattered and will start third. Joan Lascorz will complete a mouth-watering front row as the Kawasaki World Superbike team look to make their presence felt on their annual summer wildcard appearance.

Championship leader Shane 'Shakey' Byrne will start from the second row in fifth with the two Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducatis for company. Surprisingly though, it's Martin Jessopp who was the quicker of the two to qualify sixth with Michael Rutter seventh.

James Westmoreland qualified eighth on the sole Motorpoint Yamaha. The Yorkshireman will be upholding team honours on his own after Loris Baz's departure earlier in the week. Gary Mason has a good chance to boost his title hopes from ninth while Graeme Gowland leads the EVO class in tenth.

Mason's hopes of breaking into the top six have been aided after a number of his rivals struggled. Josh Brookes, currently sixth overall, will have to start race one from 13th while Jon Kirkham will also have work to do from 16th. Reigning champion Ryuichi Kiyonari will have to come from either further back after a miserable session left him 18th.